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Wednesday, October 04, 2017

Life News: Ballet Manila's Swan Lake Premieres This Weekend!

It was the ballet that started it
all. At 14, Ballet Manila CEO and Artistic Director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde saw
Swan Lake with Prima Ballerina Yoko Morishita as the Swan Queen in all her tiny
might. The encounter ignited a spark in Lisa, inspiring her to become the
dancer and icon that she is today.

Coming from the unprecedented
success of Gerardo Francisco’s Ibong Adarna, Ballet Manila’s 22nd Performance
Season “Flights of Fantasy” soars yet again with the re-staging of Swan Lake,
the timeless ballet classic. Ballet Manila’s production is not only part of the
company’s commitment to have at least one classical ballet in every season’s
repertoire, but also a promise of brilliance and grandeur. As Lisa would say so
herself, “We have the numbers and the history which no other ballet company in
the Philippines does. Our Vaganova training has made us into the perfect
company to perform a truly world-class rendition of Swan Lake.”

The Filipina Prima Ballerina, now
training a younger generation of swans, believes that there’s only one way to
perform Swan Lake—and that is with the original Lev Ivanov choreography for the
“white acts” or the first act. Acts 2-4 will be featuring choreography by
Russia People’s Artist Sergey Vikulov and Tatiana Udalenkova, whom Lisa regards
as her second family.

Tatiana also played quite a role
in Lisa’s special relationship with Swan Lake. Lisa shares, “With my best
interest at heart, Tatiana warned me never to dance it, because in her expert
opinion, I could never be a Swan Queen given my short stature, my particular
strengths in dancing, specific style, and stage presence. When she watched my
Swan Lake many years later after graduation, she cried and declared that never
has she been so happy to be proven wrong.”

Ballet Manila’s re-staging of
Swan Lake will feature a new generation of ballerinas and danseurs. Katherine
Barkman, Abigail Oliveiro, and Joan Sia, who makes her debut as the black swan,
will be alternating the dual role of Odette/Odile, while resident guest artist
Joseph Phillips, Elpidio Magat, Romeo Peralta, Rudy de Dios, and Mark Sumaylo
will be alternating the role of Prince Siegfried.

The dual role of Odette/Odile is
probably one of the most difficult, if not the most difficult role a ballerina
to play. Lisa explains, “It not only calls for a chameleon-like change in
character – but also for extraordinary technical requirements. For Odette, you
need to be soft, pliant, and lyrical with an almost painful vulnerability. For
Odile, you need legs and arms of steel, a fiery technique, speed, and the
ability to transform into evil personified.” This demanding portrayal of the
role is definitely one to look out for by the audience.

To add to the magic, the
production will also feature the original score by Peter Tchaikovsky, which
will be played live by the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of
Russian conductor, Maestro Alexander Vikulov of the Mariinsky Theater. The
haunting melodies alongside new sets and costumes will definitely make for a
magnificent evening.

Swan Lake’s story is one that
connects with the heartstrings of the family, as it revolves around the
universal theme of good triumphing over evil. From romance to the sheer beauty
of ballet, it is all here.

Through Ballet Manila’s rendition
of Swan Lake, Lisa hopes that the company can inspire young children to work on
their dreams too—just like how she did when she first saw the ballet.

Swan Lake goes on stage on the
following dates: October 7 and October 14 at 6:00 PM and October 8 and October
15 at 3:00 PM.

For more information about the
shows, including ticket prices and schedules, you may visit http://www.balletmanila.com.ph or follow Ballet
Manila on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Tickets are also available through
all TicketWorld outlets. Please call 891-9999 or visit http://www.ticketworld.com.ph for more
information. In addition, those who are planning to watch all the shows may
take advantage of the company’s Season Subscription Programs, which offer up to
50% discount on ticket prices. For more information, you may visit
http://www.ticketworld.com.ph/balletmanila/Online/ and click on ‘View Details’
under ‘Season Subscription Program’.

About Ballet Manila

Founded in 1995 by Prima
Ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde and Osias Barroso, Ballet Manila is the
country’s premier classical dance company. Connecting both ballet and the
people, the company is well-known as the only Philippine dance company to
strictly adhere to the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet style of dancing,
which is well-regarded the world over as the most disciplined and
technically-superior style. The company currently has 65 artists under its
wing, all of whom have been trained in the Vaganova Academy style of dancing.
The company boasts of a solid repertoire that consists of some of the most
technically challenging and timeless ballet favorites.

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Mari is a random human who likes cats, makeup, and having an online playground. Doll Up Mari is the place where you, ehem, doll up Mari. This is a Pinay beauty blog run by a citizen living in the Philippines who is still looking for a less grand term than Pinay Beauty Guru to refer to herself.

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